Let us look at the last few moments in Jesus life before he goes to fulfill His ultimate purpose, to suffer and die for our sins.

The Son of the Father (Jesus) entered Jerusalem at the beginning of the week on a colt of a donkey (John 12:14) instead of a white horse as a king would. The colt was never used for a chore and followed behind its father into Jerusalem. The reception: the people at first praised him, but the same people who praised Jesus turned on him by the end of the week. Why, what changed?

Matt 27:15-27 “Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him." But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!" Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!" Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"

Pilates wife warned him at the last moment “Have nothing to do with that just Man” from a dream (for more on this dream see www.letusreason.org/Biblexp152.htm)

At Jesus’ final trial where the people had an option for him to be released they united to have him to be crucified and asked for Barabbas to be set free instead. John 18:40 notes: they all cried, "Not this Man, but Barabbas!"

Pilate complied to the peoples cries tried to avoid this, stating "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. But no one is innocent of his shed blood for our sins.

In Mark’s account Mark 15:8 “Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. But Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews? "For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?" So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!" Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!" So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.”

Here, Jesus is identified as King of the Jews.

Lk.23:21 But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" v.24-25 “So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.”

Pilate appeased the multitude that were in rebellion to God led by the corrupt priests. He did not want trouble.

So those of Israel sided with their leadership at this time, they were led (fooled) to reject the Messiah, their leadership betrayed them. They cried this out with Jesus before them, openly rejecting the Son of God to his face. They denied the Holy One of God sent to die for their sins, and instead insisted for a murderer [Barabbas] to be granted unto them. They even said their king was Caesar.

The next thing the true son of God did was go willingly to die for the people. Barabbas was released while Jesus was taken away to die (willingly) for us to have eternal life. No one knows what Barabbas thought of this trade later on in life, the Scripture is silent on this.

It was the corrupt priests that led the people into rebellion on the very day set by God for the lamb to die for their sins. Pilate pleased the people and delivered to them Barabbas.

We read of Barabbas: Luke 23: who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.” Mark 15:67 Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion.”  The Bibles image of Barabbas is that of a rebel, who broke the commandments; an assassin and murderer.

Some ancient manuscripts of Matthew 27:16–17 have the full name of Barabbas as "Jesus Barabbas" and this was probably the name as originally written in the text. Evans, Craig A. (2012). Matthew (New Cambridge Bible Commentary). Cambridge University Press. p. 453.)

Several manuscripts, name the rebel murderer "Jesus Barabbas" as Pilate asks: “Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Messiah (Christ)?" (v. 17) (This seems to be implied by the actual wording, making a distinction between the two men).

Origen, an early church writer was troubled by the fact that his copies of the gospels gave Barabbas' name as "Jesus Barabbas" and declared that since it was impossible he could have had such a holy name, "Jesus" must have been added to Barabbas' name by a heretic. (Dimont, Max I. (1992), Appointment in Jerusalem. e-reads.com)

Origen (d. 254) said, "In the whole range of the scriptures we know that no one who is a sinner [is called] Jesus."

Origen's quote and a discussion of the passage Matthew 27:16-17 are found in: Bruce M. Metzger, ed. A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (2d ed., Stuttgart: German Bible Society, 1994), 56.)

Some believe later scribes, copying the passage, removed the name "Jesus" from "Jesus Barabbas" to avoid dishonour to the name of Jesus the Messiah. (Ehrman, Bart D. (2011). The Reliability of the New Testament: Bart Ehrman and Daniel Wallace in Dialogue, p. 118.)

What we see is the Sovereignty of God in putting these men together at Jesus’ trial for us to understand the dichotomy the people faced in their decision and what we will face in the future.

Barrabas, is an interesting name because it is merged together. Barabbas name is a Hellenization of the Aramaic bar abba. It actually consists of 2 Hebrew words, Bar and abba. Bar is a term in Hebrew meaning - son, Abba means Father. Put together, Bar Abba, means son of the father. As we have seen Historians and scholars believe from ancient records Barrabas’ first name was Jesus. He was called in Hebrew yeshua bar abba- his full name was “Jesus son of the father.” The people were given a choice and insisted to receive the criminal Jesus bar abba instead of the real Son of the Father. The Lord Jesus, the Son of the Father, was innocent, being accused of sedition and was sentenced to die. But they did not know He would die on our behalf.

They cried out with Jesus before them, crucify him. Openly rejecting the true son of God for the counterfeit in name only. If they couldn’t receive the real Messiah when He was physically in front of them, how will the church do when the false one comes?

There is a bar abba principle found in counterfeits. Today we hear give the people what they want in church (not what they need) i.e. the church growth movement, the seeker friendly way.

Think of what we are facing today. The books, the movies, videos on Jesus; success seminars, healing crusades are filled with counterfeits; they present a counterfeit Jesus. Even Bibles are changed. We are already succumbing to the same attitude. Being set up for the last deception.

The corrupt priest led the people in rebellion and they will do the same in the end. Those who are ecumenical who believe in world’s ways and ignore the word of God. They want peace and unity at any cost. They use the world’s concepts to produce the results in their church. They have forged a spiritual unity to the world, such are many of the visible leaders the church has today. The priests said “We have no king but Caesar!" Caesar is the world’s king.

Many people do not want to pursue truth, because it takes work. So they often are willing to be led by those they trust in what we call the broad way, the wider road. They travel on this road led by those they do not really know, not knowing where it will lead to. The end leads to what Scripture says; destruction. They ignore the warnings by Biblical evangelicals who speak the truth, who risk all to say do not follow these men, or their ways. Instead they crowds of people say, Give us Barabbas.

There is coming another day of decision where Bar abba appears, he is the false messiah. This takes place in the time period when the people refuse the love of the truth (2 Thess,2). The finale begins and is not exclusive to Israel but includes the whole world. We are already being prepared by the bar abba principle at work, as the love of the truth is growing cold. Making the choice of trading this last Bar Abba for Jesus, the true Son of the Father is relevant to our understanding what will take place in the last days. What was done then, will be done again. Israel and the world will insist on the counterfeit instead of the genuine. God will allow Satan in the last days to bring forth his counterfeit Christ (coming as a messenger of light). He will rise to power and rule with authority over the whole world for a short period of time, (known as Daniel's seventieth week, the last group of 7).

Consider Luke 8:13 “Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.” We are continually being tested as we grow. If we obey, our faith is strengthened and we learn patience and perseverance by the trial. Then we have roots and we are far less easily deceived.

We are reminded of what was said to Israel Heb. 3:8-11 “do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'"

Israel is our example as a nation tested in the wilderness. It was a harsh time with not permanence. Even with the miracles they saw they tried God’s patience as they question what He was doing time and time again. They rebelled against the true leader Moses. God expressed anger (yes God angers and is not just love).

Rev. 3:7 to the church in Philadelphia: v.10-11"Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. "Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”

There is a trial coming for all who are alive on earth. Many do not know this. Some may notice something unusual is taking place when it occurs, others may go on with their lives as if everything is normal (Mt.24:38).

I Jn. 5:19 “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” If you do not see this, then God has not opened your eyes. The world has been under the wicked ones influence and power since Adam and Eve succumbed to his challenge. But there is a time coming when this will come to its conclusion, just as it is written.

We see this in Rev. 12:9 “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” At this time He no longer has access to heaven and all of those creatures he first led in rebellion are brought to earth with him.

Then he will be revealed. 2 Thess. 2:3 “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.”

The Believers who have not had their love grow cold will speak out and warn the people of this final Bar Abba (2 Thess.2:3, 8, 10). The world will reject their words and cry out give us this man. When one does a study of this man who is the last counterfeit we find everyone gives their loyalty to him except the few whose names are written in the lambs book, and they are being eliminated. Rev. 13:8-10 “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”

History will repeat itself in the worst way.

“the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. Rev 12:10) v.11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.’ Death will be a victory to those who hold to their faith.

I Jn. 2:15 they were prepared because they “love the world the things in the world.” “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them.” Caesar like the Pharaohs before represent world rulers. The people have come to refuse the truth, mainly because they love the world.

II Thess. 2:10-11 “and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.”

The lie, that another is Christ. Anti in this sense means to take another’s place. He is THE Antichrist. A liar who can only lie, whereas Christ Jesus is the truth.

He will be accepted by the people, they will love and obey him, rejecting the message of the true Christ. The people will be fooled and led by his angels, by apostates in the church and by their love for the world they will fully reject the truth (1 jn.4:1).

Time is now to make a decision before you face the ultimate deception that will test all those on earth (Rev. 3:10-11).